While I have been optimistic about the newfound environmental awareness that has taken hold in the US (better late than never) and pioneered in many European countries, I have nonetheless had a nagging pessimism: the reality of this planet's exponential population growth.  While it is human nature to procreate, so is the survival instinct.  In the last 50 years the world's population has doubled!  Can we expect recycling, driving hybrids, changing energy consumption patterns and sources to sustain the ever-multiplying population?  We currently have a serious world food shortage problem, but how can we strive to lessen and ultimately alleviate this problem when our population continues to strain resources every second of every day?  Many environmentalists have looked to vegetarianism as the true solution to our fuel versus food struggle, but even vegetables take resources and space to grow, and at some point we will have to face the reality of population control measures, whether they be imposed by governments and/or worse, mother nature.  Wouldn't it be better to start the population conversation earlier rather than later, and try to use the power of globalism to craft a reasonable and equitable solution?  I have been surprised by the lack of discourse on this highly important and self-evident (although easily denied or ignored) issue, but recently I have come across a couple of articles published in Mother Earth News addressing the issue and have included the links here: http://www.motherearthnews.com/richfolkscantfixitalone.aspx?blogid=1182,  http://www.motherearthnews.com/Nature-Community/2008-06-01/United-States-Population-Growth.aspx

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